We weren't even 1/2 way through when I turned to my wife and quoted an old movie line expressing the fact that I was basically beat senseless.

My wife looked at me and shook her head in agreement, as she was feeling the same way.

It was a healthy beat down though-good stuff, the type that wakes you up to just how poorly your are performing at just about everything. Of course, its always a relief to realize that Christ paid for our sins in full and we aren't saved by works, but Mr. Thomas has a way of really showing us just how far we are from God in our priorities in life.

It wakes you up to the realization that "we" are the problem. Our biggest enemy is our own sinful self. We of course agree with this verbiage all of the time, but if our realization doesn't produce an effective change, life will just keep going around with the same old problems.

The issue for the Christian when faced with these realities isn't generally the awareness, but instead the willingness to do what is necessary. Folks, let me tell you its hard. It's hard to love God they way we should, its hard to die to yourself the way we should, its just plain hard. It's not natural to the flesh, which even in its good, the self is almost always at the top of the priority list.

However, its the answer and anything else may temporarily place a band-aid on a wound, but it will never heal a selfish spirit.

I encourage you to listen to some of Rick's messages. He pulls no punches, but that's good. Otherwise, he'd just be tickling our ears with the wisdom of the world. I think we all already have enough of that.

The whole clip is decent, but what this pastor says at the beginning is really good. You'll have to have FB to view it, but you can find it here.

The point he makes is interesting and something that I think ranks high as a major issue in the church. We often look at the big sins: adultery, drunkenness, drug addiction, homosexuality, and so forth, but what about normal everyday worldly things like sports? Do we seek for enjoyment in other activities not usually looked at as sin, but because we put so much emphasis on it, it actually is?

It's not that we can't enjoy God's creation and non Christian activities per se, but are we making an idol of these things? Sports, movies, video games, work, rest...the list can include anything that has power over us that is unrelated to what we should be doing as Christians. We're all guilty of this, so not pointing fingers here, but do we recognize it? Do we try to change it? Are we making the best use of our time?

I've recently read and listened to some of Rick Thomas's material and so far it is very good. Not because he makes you feel good, but because he tells it like it is.

He has a talent for putting things together for maximum clarity and he doesn't give you the answer you want, but the answer you need.

You can find his site here. I'll warn you up front, if you are looking for answers that please you and cost you nothing, you won't want to go there, but if you are looking for truth despite the cost, I'd highly recommend you check it out.

We all love the glorious doctrine of salvation, but do we love sanctification?

If you are saved, you should pursue holiness (be separate and different from the world). Do you stand out as different or do you look just like the world?

If you are not daily struggling with these convictions, be mindful of why. Is it because you are truly pursuing God (how many of us daily have this type of conviction) or have you become complacent and worldly ( many of us dreadfully fall into this trap).

May we be reminded daily of the gospel and may it motivate us to seek Him first, reject complacency, and produce a faith expressing itself through love.

Having been struck with chronic health issues for about the last 18 years, weakness and pain have been my friends. I say that in jest of course, but it is what it is. In today's re-blog found HERE, I link an article from the Spurgeon Center discussing 11 reasons why he may have been depressed.

In all things, including pain, my hope is in the one who took my sin and will someday make me whole. It's a daily battle that the flesh often wins. The value of Christ and the understanding of my utter depravity is at least one blessing my despair has given me. May God help those who like myself suffer in this world, to fix their eyes on the next world. Spurgeon's great success and legacy in the gospel, is no doubt partially owed to what he suffered in this life, so that he could more accurately proclaim the way into the next life glorious.